U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,309 discloses a miniature pin board assembly comprising a miniature matrix having coplanar conductive strips in a first row overlaid by a second row of coplanar strips. Both rows of strips are embedded within a moulded substrate of an elastomer-based material which is sufficiently rigid to maintain the rows in a predetermined spatial relationship.
A plurality of recesses is arranged in the substrate. The recesses are arranged in columns and rows. Each recess exposes a conductor in the first row and a conductor in the second row where such conductors cross each other.
A conductive pin may be inserted into a selected aperture to engage the corresponding exposed conductors, thereby making a cross point connection. The elastomer-based material encircling the selected recess is elastically expanded upon insertion of the pin and exerts a resilient and residual retention force on the pin biasing the same into positive electrical contact with the cross point connected conductors.
The resilient properties around the recesses of the pin board assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,309 are provided by the elastomer-based material. Thus, it is the mechanical properties of the elastomer-based material that keeps a male connector (pin) in position when inserted into a recess. Furthermore, the pin board assembly of U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,309 is mainly suitable for mounting on e.g. printed circuit boards.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,684 discloses a low insertion force connector with resilient metal conductors in the openings of an insulating connector body. Each conductor has a square opening and has integral leaf springs extending from the respective sides of the square towards a terminal entry end of the openings. The four leaf springs are grouped in two pairs that can engage with the entering terminal either simultaneously or shifted relative to each other. To orient and to fixate the conductors in the openings the conductors comprise tabs precisely fitted to be received in grooves of the connector body.
It may be an object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a miniaturised connector assembly where the resilient properties are provided by a resilient conductor in a simple way.
It may also be an object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention to provide a miniaturised connector assembly comprising a reduced number of mechanical elements.